Soil age data layer used in the creation of Land Environments of New Zealand (LENZ) classification. The classification layers have been made publicly available by the Ministry for the Environment (see data.mfe.govt.nz/layers/?q=LENZ for to access these layers).

This data layer is a classification of two broad soil age classes based on their membership in the New Zealand Soil Classification. This layer describes soil age using morphological features associated with soil development rather than criteria based on chronological ages. As a consequence, soils classified as recent in dry cool environment may be much older than recent soils from warm, wet environments. Only two classes of soil age, Younger (1) and Older (2). The class defined as "0" signifies areas where there are no soil attributes recorded (i.e. high peaks of the Southern Alps).

Additional details such as discussion about the accuracy and reliability of the LENZ soil layers and the technical definitions of the categories in this layer are defined in the attached LENZ Technical Guide.

The New Zealand Fundamental Soil Layer originates from a relational join of features from two databases: the New Zealand Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI), and the National Soils Database (NSD). The NZLRI is a national polygon database of physical land resource information, including a soil unit. Soil is one in an inventory of five physical factors (including rock, slope, erosion, and vegetation) delineated by physiographic polygons at approximately 1:50,000 scale. The NSD is a point database of soil physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics for over 1500 soil profiles nationally. A relational join between the NZLRI dominant soil and derivative tables from the NSD was the means by which 14 important soil attributes were attached to the NZLRI polygons. Some if these attributes originate from exact matches with NSD records, while others derive from matches to similar soils or professional estimates. This layers contains flood return interval attributes. The classes originate from and are described more fully in Webb and Wilson (1995).

This layer provides a classification of New Zealand ecosystems according to plant composition. Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling was used to produce a model of biotic composition in relation ship to environment and biogeography. This model was used to transform and scale environmental layers to predict community composition. The transformed environmental layers were then used to classify New Zealand into areas of similar biotic composition. The biotic data used for this model include all vascular plant taxa from NVS recce data and estimated community compositions from pollen data.

This layer provides a classification of New Zealand ecosystems according to tree and shrub composition. Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling was used to produce a model of biotic composition in relation ship to environment and biogeography. This model was used to transform and scale environmental layers to predict community composition. The transformed environmental layers were then used to classify New Zealand into areas of similar biotic composition. The biotic data used for this model include all non-fern tree and shrub taxa from NVS recce data and estimated community compositions from pollen data.

The New Zealand Fundamental Soil Layer originates from a relational join of features from two databases: the New Zealand Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI), and the National Soils Database (NSD). The NZLRI is a national polygon database of physical land resource information, including a soil unit. Soil is one in an inventory of five physical factors (including rock, slope, erosion, and vegetation) delineated by physiographic polygons at approximately 1:50,000 scale. The NSD is a point database of soil physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics for over 1500 soil profiles nationally. A relational join between the NZLRI dominant soil and derivative tables from the NSD was the means by which 14 important soil attributes were attached to the NZLRI polygons. Some if these attributes originate from exact matches with NSD records, while others derive from matches to similar soils or professional estimates. This layer contains depth to slowly permeable horizon attributes. Depth to a slowly permeable horizon describes the minimum and maximum depths (in metres) to a horizon in which the permeability is less than 4mm/hr as measured by techniques outlined in Griffiths (1985). If no slowly permeable horizon is observed, the taxon is allocated to Class 6 and a null value with numeric code -.99 is entered into the data fields. These classes, described more fully in Webb and Wilson (1995).

The New Zealand Fundamental Soil Layer originates from a relational join of features from two databases: the New Zealand Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI), and the National Soils Database (NSD). The NZLRI is a national polygon database of physical land resource information, including a soil unit. Soil is one in an inventory of five physical factors (including rock, slope, erosion, and vegetation) delineated by physiographic polygons at approximately 1:50,000 scale. The NSD is a point database of soil physical, chemical, and mineralological characteristics for over 1500 soil profiles nationally. A relational join between the NZLRI dominant soil and derivative tables from the NSD was the means by which 14 important soil attributes were attached to the NZLRI polygons. Some if these attributes originate from exact matches with NSD records, while others derive from matches to similar soils or professional estimates. This layer contains best available data as at 2000 for total carbon (organic matter content) which is estimated as weighted averages for the upper part of the soil profile from 0-0.2 m depth, and expressed as a percentage.

The New Zealand Fundamental Soil Layer originates from a relational join of features from two databases: the New Zealand Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI), and the National Soils Database (NSD). The NZLRI is a national polygon database of physical land resource information, including a soil unit. Soil is one in an inventory of five physical factors (including rock, slope, erosion, and vegetation) delineated by physiographic polygons at approximately 1:50,000 scale. The NSD is a point database of soil physical, chemical, and mineralological characteristics for over 1500 soil profiles nationally. A relational join between the NZLRI dominant soil and derivative tables from the NSD was the means by which 14 important soil attributes were attached to the NZLRI polygons. Some if these attributes originate from exact matches with NSD records, while others derive from matches to similar soils or professional estimates. This layer contains best available data as at 2000 for Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) which is estimated as weighted averages for the soil profile from 0-0.6 m depth and expressed in units of centimoles of charge per kg (cmoles (+)/kg).

Reserve potassium (Kc) is a measure how much potassium is available to plants. There are three potassium pools: dissolved, extractable, and reserve potassium. Potassium (K) is continuously drawn from the extractable to the dissolved pool when it is used by plants, and likewise from the reserve pool to the extractable pool. The reserve potassium is held in minerals in the soil such as mica. An example of the utility of this information is for organic farmers, who are not allowed to add potassium chloride to their soils (they can add potassium sulphate, but this is much more expensive). Class 3 for Kc will indicate where organic farming is practical. If you zoom in on the map and click on a soil area it will show the Kc class (pot class). The classes are:

The New Zealand Fundamental Soil Layer originates from a relational join of features from two databases: the New Zealand Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI), and the National Soils Database (NSD). The NZLRI is a national polygon database of physical land resource information, including a soil unit. Soil is one in an inventory of five physical factors (including rock, slope, erosion, and vegetation) delineated by physiographic polygons at approximately 1:50,000 scale. The NSD is a point database of soil physical, chemical, and mineralological characteristics for over 1500 soil profiles nationally. A relational join between the NZLRI dominant soil and derivative tables from the NSD was the means by which 14 important soil attributes were attached to the NZLRI polygons. Some if these attributes originate from exact matches with NSD records, while others derive from matches to similar soils or professional estimates. This layer contains topsoil gravel content attributes. The classes originate from and are described more fully in Webb and Wilson (1995).

The New Zealand Fundamental Soil Layer originates from a relational join of features from two databases: the New Zealand Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI), and the National Soils Database (NSD). The NZLRI is a national polygon database of physical land resource information, including a soil unit. Soil is one in an inventory of five physical factors (including rock, slope, erosion, and vegetation) delineated by physiographic polygons at approximately 1:50,000 scale. The NSD is a point database of soil physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics for over 1500 soil profiles nationally. A relational join between the NZLRI dominant soil and derivative tables from the NSD was the means by which 14 important soil attributes were attached to the NZLRI polygons. Some of these attributes originate from exact matches with NSD records, while others derive from matches to similar soils or professional estimates. This layer contains rock outcrop and surface boulder attributes which are presented as the percentage of the area of the map units covered by rock outcrops or surface boulders. The classes originate from and are described more fully in Webb and Wilson (1995).